Park Place United Methodist Church is located at 3827 Park Place Blvd.

All mayoral candidates have been invited to attend, as well as all candidates from Council Districts E, I and all at-large positions.

"We thought it would be a worthwhile endeavor to bring the candidates out to the southeast area of Houston to allow residents here an opportunity to see who (the candidates) really are, without having to rely on television or newspaper endorsements," said Mary Dupuy Vargo, chairwoman of both the Southeast Neighborhood Coalition and the United Methodist Church's Community Outreach program.

"That way, residents can form their own opinions and vote for who they feel will be the best for the community."

Vargo, who has lived all her life in southeast Houston, said the area is often viewed merely as a a blue-collar community of plant workers.

"People who have never been here don't realize how racially mixed and economically mixed we are on this side of town," she said. "We have a very diverse population, and we feel it's important that the candidates come here to address the many issues that we face daily."

Vargo said issues like law enforcement, community revitalization and the needs of the elderly will be hot topics at the forum.

"We're very real people here," she said. "We are very community-oriented, and we want to see which candidate is ready to support us in our drive to clean up the city, enforce the laws and keep the integrity of those who live here."

About 15 neighborhoods in the area are involved in the Southeast Neighborhood Coalition, which works with the city of Houston on issues such as deed restrictions and keeping the community clean. The Coalition, along with Park Place United Methodist, is sponsoring the forum.

The League of Women Voters will moderate the forum to ensure a "non-partisan, unbiased event," Vargo said.

"Were hoping for a very large turnout," Vargo said. All the residents here should realize they are stakeholders in the community and it's important for them to show that we care about our neighborhoods."